So why not this time, well I'm not exactly sure, one part of me was somewhat scared at the prospect of trying to document each day. Eight individual entries seemed like a really huge task and I didn't feel like I had much to say for each day. In fact I don't remember thinking anything about events of any day that made me think 'I must write that/expand on that in my blog'. Also the nature of the trip went against many of my usual habits on a day out, there was no non stop walking around, no particular places to document and a fixed route to deal with. It was frankly a lot more relaxed and I quickly fell into that pace so I guess my thinking relaxed. Alternatively I just forgot any thoughts I had by the time I got back. By no means did my artistic eye slacken nor my thinking stop, I just wasn't in a rush and it was for all intents and purposes a holiday not a task. But I think that that was what was important to realise, it didn't need 8 entries it just needed one.
Well the relaxed nature of the trip had me thinking less about photographs to become paintings but more about what I was seeing around me. I guess it has more in common with my previous post than any other. So what to say about it? Well I'm not sure. With the other posts I have been slow to start but once I get going I find I already have a point to talk about and ramble on and on no problem. This time I'm not at all sure what I want to say about it.
It certainly was relaxing, 2- 4mph speed limit is a perfectly wonderful speed to be going at when you are sitting in the bow watching the world go by. It was really cold and we had plenty of weather conditions to photograph in; sunshine, rain, snow. We even had a rainbow on the second day, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises and a frozen canal on the last morning. It was also a great change of scenery from the woodlands and heaths of my home, big flat plains, green pastures and hills. I saw a kingfisher which was a real high point, I even managed to get it on camera, of course it is only a vague turquoise and orange blur among a greater green blur of foliage. But you know what that's ok. So maybe I don't have much to say because for once my mind stopped trying to see these places as an artist all the time, dealing with all the people and trying to photograph a perfect moment for a potential artwork. I was forced to slowly go past the world, at a speed where I could happily indulge my shutterbug tendencies while still being able to sit back and use my eyes rather than only my camera to frame the beautiful images I see and enjoy what I was seeing. No deadline no train to catch just fresh air and a little exercise mooring and operating locks.
Maybe that's why I don't feel like I have much to say, because what I noticed above all else was the profound peace and calm of the waterways and rural landscapes and that is really plenty.
Oh and I probably drove my boat mates a little batty stopping to take photographs of frozen leaves and sheep and fields while we were trying to get through sets of locks. I'm sorry but it was a compulsion impossible to ignore. :P
Incidently if you want to see my photos from the week you can see them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/noblueskies/sets/72157623087122470/
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